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Caravan Track hits the road

5/12/2010

From: Nicole Casal Moore

Michigan Engineering

A socially-networked cross-country road trip in a lime green Ford Fiesta is the culmination of the computer science course Cloud Computing in the Commute. Working with Ford engineers, students in the class designed apps for cars. The winning one went on tour May 14, 2010. The destination is Maker Faire, an ideas festival in San Mateo, Calif.

Other app ideas from the class include a fuel tracking system that compares the current driver with others who have driven the route, a collaborative ride-sharing program that could connect drivers and potential car poolers through Facebook, and several on-the-go recommendation systems. Short videos (under 2 minutes) of the students explaining their projects are at MichiganEngineering's Facebook page.

The class was taught this winter in partnership with Ford Motor Company’s Research & Advanced Engineering department. Microsoft and Intel also collaborated. The class was taught by computer science and engineering associate professors Brian Noble and Jason Flinn. Students worked closely with Ford engineers on the safety aspects of these programs.

About Michigan Engineering: The University of Michigan College of Engineering is one of the top engineering schools in the country. Eight academic departments are ranked in the nation's top 10 -- some twice for different programs. Its research budget is one of the largest of any public university. Its faculty and students are making a difference at the frontiers of fields as diverse as nanotechnology, sustainability, healthcare, national security and robotics. They are involved in spacecraft missions across the solar system, and have developed partnerships with automotive industry leaders to transform transportation. Its entrepreneurial culture encourages faculty and students alike to move their innovations beyond the laboratory and into the real world to benefit society. Its alumni base of nearly 70,000 spans the globe.